Through the Well
by closetconspiracy
Summary: A collection of oneshots about Inuyasha and the gang with varying themes, ratings, lengths, etc.
1. Loose Connections

_Here you'll find oneshots and drabbles I've posted on communities at LJ, just fooled around with while I was supposed to be studying, or just some random stuff I wanted to put somewhere. Some are bound to be not so good, but I'm okay with that... I need somewhere to post some writing practice, right? :oP _

_The genres will range from anything to everything. General, comedy, romance, adventure, angst... expect anything. Usually I'll try to post what each individual drabble is. _

_So, enjoy! This first one was written for a drabble community on LJ, for the theme "Links" at 100-250 words. Genre: General, and a hint of romance?  
_

* * *

**Loose Connections**

The chinking of the bike had been driving him nuts for the past two days. Ever since that run in with the centipede demon, and the bike had been on the painful end of a blow from the Tessaiga, he'd had to deal with the creaking of metal against metal.

"It's the links!" Kagome had told him last night. She hadn't had to look at him to let him know she blamed him. "They're all screwed up now."

An especially loud metallic _pop_ as the bike was dragged over an exposed tree root had his ears pressing down to the top of his head. "Can't you leave that stupid thing behind?" Inuyasha spat out for the fifth time that afternoon.

Kagome shot him another glare that told him a "sit" wasn't too far off.

"I can't leave it behind." She sounded upset, more upset than a broken bike should have allowed. "How would you feel if you abandoned something just because one or two links were broken, or a connection was off? I can fix it at home," she finished quietly.

Inuyasha stared at her a moment longer than he had to. When he turned around, it was with a "keh!" and a crossing of his arms. But he remained silent about the bike for the rest of the journey home to Kaede's village.


	2. The Right Moment

_This one was written for the same drabble community, but before I could post it someone else posted something kind of similar. So it's going here instead :o) It's for the theme "Exploit", 100-250 words._

_Summary: Shippou learns a few things, and uses them to his advantage…  
Genre: General_

* * *

The Right Moment

It was one of the first skills he had noticed the half-demon possessed. His propensity for food. Especially ramen.

And it was one of the first things he had learned to twist to his advantage.

Inuyasha sat near the fire, grumbling about something as Kagome set up the ninja food, peeling back the lid from the cup made out of that weird soft material as she sat near the fire.

Shippou watched patiently as the water boiled, as Kagome lifted the cup of Ramen, poured the water, and set it down in front of Inuyasha. It was the last cup. They'd been traveling for weeks now, and she hadn't been able to go through the Well to get more.

Shippou waited for just the right moment. The hanyou reached forward, his hand almost around the ramen cup, before Shippou stood up and ran forward. All he had to do was reach one small hand forward, say the right thing and…

"Kagome!" he bawled as Inuyasha's fist came down on his head. His hand clutched his head as he plopped down into the grass for emphasis.

"Inuyasha! Sit!"

And the hanyou was in the dust, cursing, and the ramen cup was being slid over to Shippou. Shippou smiled up at Kagome. Yup, all he had to do was wait for the right moment.


	3. To His Advantage

_Summary: Why Miroku won't - or can't - stop some of his habits...  
Theme: Exploit  
Genre: Romance, introspection  
Characters: Miroku, Sango_

* * *

**To His Advantage**

There was just something about it, even if he couldn't say what it was. But the first time she had done it, he hadn't been able to resist trying it a second time.

And a third.

And a fourth.

Ever since then, he couldn't deny that while he never thought pleasurably about the sting after the fact, he couldn't help using her reaction to his advantage.

No, he didn't like the pain. He never would. But he couldn't help but try to get that rise out of her. There was just something about what seemed to be her one weakness. Maybe it was that he could see her strength again and again, even in… her temper? Her hint of jealousy?

_No matter_, he thought as he reached a hand towards the next nameless village girl, looking for her out of the corner of his eye. He would continue to look for that glint in her eyes. That was enough, that small reaction. And he would use that jealousy or anger or whatever it was to the greatest extent he could, while he could.

"Lecher," he heard her growl right before he saw that glint, right before he felt that familiar sting to his cheek. As she walked away, he smiled at her retreating form from the ground. He could always rely on her and that look, and even if he looked like the loser, he couldn't deny that the pleasure from that look was well worth the sting.


	4. Mud Bath

_Summary: What happens when the gang gets in a fix and Miroku finds the perfect opportunity…  
Theme: Force  
Genre: Comedy  
Characters: Miroku, Sango_

_This was originally posted on a LJ drabble community. 232 words._

* * *

**Mud Bath**

He didn't know how they had managed to get themselves caught in such a mess. One minute, they were walking, their feet steady on solid ground. The next they found themselves ankle deep in mud. And sinking lower. Inuyasha had leapt out of the mud almost instantly, dragging Kagome and Shippou with him. Leaving Sango and Miroku still battling the mud.

"Sango, grab the branch," Kagome demanded.

Sango panted, reaching for the branch Kagome stretched towards the demonslayer.

"It's too far!" was her tired response, her hand slowly growing farther from the branch as she continued to sink.

That's when Miroku got his bright idea. Sango couldn't move very quickly, and with the mud as thick as it was she wouldn't be able to see him do it. And hell, if he was going to die, it was one helluva way to go.

So he reached forward, slowly, teeth gritting as he sunk lower, the mud cold against his shoulders now.

Ah... there. He knew her body too well to guess wrongly, even in thick, impenetrable mud.

Sango's cry of surprise had him smiling. She couldn't do anything as he slowly but surely increased the pressure on her derriere, forcing her out of the mud.

Sango was out, and Hiraikotsu was clunked on his head. "Lecher!" she said, before Hiraikotsu was thrust into his face, waiting for him to grab it.


	5. Catch My Drift?

_Summary: A simple misunderstanding can cause a bit of trouble...  
Theme: Drift  
Genre: Comedy  
Words: 245_

* * *

**Catch My Drift?**

All he could do was stare at her. What might have helped him understand her, if he could have worked his brain around her sudden words, was how hard she stared back at him.

"No. No, no, Inuyasha." Her voice suddenly broke through the stunned silence, a blush slowly crawling along her skin. "You don't understand."

Miroku's laughter roared into the clearing. Kagome turned her head, tried to catch his eye to shut him up. Sango seemed to anticipate the miko's thoughts, for the monk's laughter was abruptly cut off with a warning shift of Hiraikotsu.

Kagome turned back to Inuyasha, the clearing once again silent.

"Let me explain this again," she started. But Inuyasha seemed to have been unfrozen by Miroku's sudden outburst. He shook his head, as if trying to get water out of his ears.

"Oi, wench. What's there to explain?" His eyes slitted at her, suspicious as he slunk back. But he still stayed close, as if watching for her next move. "I know what that thing does," he nodded to the contraption in her hand, "and you aren't using that on me."

Kagome felt heat creeping along her cheeks again, spreading down her neck. "Inuyasha," she half-begged, half-warned.

"Keh!" His eyes closed, his head turning away from her. "You aren't putting a-"

"That's not what this is!" she tried desperately, but she could tell by the way he shuffled away again that he wouldn't understand a word she said.


	6. Stealth

Summary: When even a great hunter can be beaten…  
Theme: Trail  
Genre: General  
This was originally posted on a LJ drabble community. 249 words. This drabble takes place, obviously, a few years after the manga has ended.

* * *

**Stealth**

The smell was still fresh. He'd been following her for a good fifteen minutes, enough time to give her what privacy she wanted when she was bathing.

But that wasn't what had his ears twitching, his attention focused behind him as he crept further into the trees surrounding Kaede's village. They were trailing him, had been since he left their hut. He'd been focused on them the entire time. They were making enough noise to wake the dead, he thought. But then again, they were young, and more human than demon.

Inuyasha stopped, letting them catch up. As they pounced he whirled around, meeting their surprised faces with a snarl.

Laughter echoed throughout the forest as Inuyasha pinned them down.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome's voice held a warning.

"They followed you here," he lied quickly, turning to stare at the woman tapping her foot half-jokingly behind him. "So I had to come, too."

"Likely story." She knelt down and hugged the two girls that rushed to her. "Is your father teaching you bad habits again?"

"Keh. I don't have bad habits," Inuyasha said as he absently lifted his leg to scratch his ear. Kagome couldn't fight the smile that crept onto her lips when her two children tried, unsuccessfully, to copy their father.

"Let's go," Kagome said as she stood, started to walk slowly away. "It's dinner time."

"C'mon, runts," Inuyasha grunted as he bent over and stuffed one kid under each arm, turning to follow Kagome. "Don't go fallin' behind."


End file.
